The present invention relates to an electronic still camera, the image pick-up lens and the monitor of which can be accommodated inside.
In a conventional example of this type electronic still camera, an image pick-up section and an image receiving section are integrated with each other and formed into a camera body, and a image pick-up lens is arranged on the front surface of the camera body and a monitor for displaying an image, which has been taken by this camera, is arranged on the rear surface of the camera body. However, according to the above arrangement, the monitor and the image pick-up lens are fixed in the opposite direction to each other. Therefore, it becomes difficult for a photographer to visually check the monitor in the case of taking a picture.
In order to solve the above problems, the following arrangement is conceived. The monitor is pivotally connected to the camera body, so that the direction of the monitor can be changed.
However, according to the above conventional arrangement, the visual angle of the monitor can be only adjusted. Although the monitor can be protected when it is directed to the camera body, the image pick-up lens is exposed outside. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a protective cover for protecting the image pick-up lens. Accordingly, the number of parts is increased, which raises the production cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic still camera in which the image pick-up lens and the monitor can be accommodated inside the camera so that they are not damaged, without increasing the number of parts.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an electronic still camera comprising: a image pick-up section including a front surface and a image pick-up lens provided on the front surface; an image receiving section having a rear surface and a monitor provided on the rear surface, for displaying an image which has been taken; and means for pivotally connecting between one end of the image pick-up section and one end of the image receiving section, the connecting means including a vertical shaft such that the monitor is set being opposite to the image pick-up lens when the image receiving section is rotated backward round the vertical shaft, and the monitor is set being faced with the image pick-up lens when the image receiving section is rotated forward round the vertical shaft.
In the case of taking a picture in the above arrangement, the image receiving section is rotated backward round the vertical shaft, so that the monitor in the image receiving section can be set being opposite to the image pick-up lens in the image pick-up section. Due to the foregoing, it is possible to take a picture of a photographic object by the image pick-up lens while a photographer is visually checking an image on the monitor. In the case of not taking a picture, the image receiving section is rotated forward round the vertical shaft, so that the monitor can be set being opposed to the image pick-up lens.
In the above arrangement, when the image receiving section is rotated backward round the vertical shaft, it is possible to adjust a visual angel of the monitor. Also, when the image receiving section is rotated forward round the vertical shaft, the monitor is opposed to the image pick-up lens, and the monitor and the image pick-up lens can be accommodated between the image pick-up section and the image receiving section. Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide a protective cover for protecting the monitor and the image pick-up lens. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the production cost.
Furthermore, in the electronic still camere described above, the image receiving section further includes: an image receiving main body in which the monitor is provided; an auxiliary section which is connected to one end of the image pick-up section via the vertical shaft; and a horizontal shaft protruding from the image receiving mai body, wherein the image receiving main body is pivotally engaged with the auxiliary section via the horizontal shaft such that the image receiving main body can be rotated round the horizontal shaft and slid along the auxiliary section.
In the above arrangement, when the main body of the image receiving section is rotated round the vertical and the horizontal shaft and slid along the auxiliary section, it is possible to freely adjust a visual angle of the monitor in the vertical and the transverse direction.
Still further, in the electronic still camera described above, the image receiving section further includes: an image receiving main body in which the monitor is provided; an auxiliary section which is connected to one end of the image pick-up section via the vertical shaft; a pair of horizontal shafts concentrically attached to upper ends on both sides of the image receiving main body; a guide groove extending in the vertical direction formed in the auxiliary section, and engaging with one of the horizontal shafts; a connecting piece fixed to the other horizontal shaft having a leading end; and a guide groove extending in the vertical direction formed in the other end of the image pick-up section, and engaging with the leading end of the connecting piece, wherein the leading end of a connecting piece enters the guide groove from an upper end opening of the guide groove.
In the above arrangement, when the connecting piece fixed to the other horizontal shaft is engaged with the guide groove in the image pick-up section, the main body of the image receiving section can be integrally connected with the image pick-up section. Also, when one of the horizontal shaft and the connecting piece are elevated along the guide groove, and also when the main body of the image receiving section is rotated upward and downward round both horizontal shafts, the monitor provided in the main body of the image receiving section can be set in a desired oblique or a horizontal condition. Therefore, the electronic still camera becomes handy.
Still further, in the electronic still camera described above, the other horizontal shaft is movably attached to the image receiving main body such that the other horizontal shaft can be moved in a predetermined range in the transverse direction of the other horizontal shaft, and a spring for pulling the other horizontal shaft backward is arranged in the image receiving main body.
In the above arrangement, when the connecting piece engaged with the guide groove in the image pick-up section is pulled by the spring to the main body of the image receiving section, the image pick-up section and the image receiving section can be drawn closer to each other, so that they can be integrated with each other.
Still further, the electronic still camera described above, further comprises: a click stop mechanism for temporarily stopping the rotation of the other horizontal shaft at a predetermined angle.
In the above arrangement, it is possible to fix the main body of the image receiving section at a desired oblique angle by the click stop mechanism.
Moreover, in the electronic still camera described above, the click stop mechanism includes a wheel concentrically provided on the other horizontal shaft and also includes the spring engaging with an outer circumferential surface of the wheel, a plurality of recesses are formed at regular intervals on an outer circumferential surface of the wheel in the circumferential direction, and a protruding section formed by locally bending the spring is engaged with the plurality of recesses.
In the above arrangement, the spring to draw the other horizontal shaft backward is also used for the click stop mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, and also it is possible to reduce the production cost.
Moreover, in the electronic still camera described above, the monitor comprises a liquid crystal image plane and a transparent tablet attached onto the liquid crystal image plane.
In the above arrangement, it is possible to conduct a touch operation on the transparent tablet so as to cut away and store a necessary portion of an image displayed on the monitor, and also it is possible to synthesize or edit the image.